“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” Romans 4:7-8 ref. Psalm 32: 1-2 NIV

An overcast sky greeted a normally sunny spring day in Arizona. My friend and I chatted as we left our Zumba class. The subdued sky was a welcome sign to us. It was Good Friday and the whole desert mirrored the heavy hearts that stood at the cross that Friday long ago on Calvary when Jesus paid a debt we never could pay. He laid down his life with the heavy weight of our sins on his body and surrendered His spirit to the Father so that we could be free from our sin.

“I really like it when Good Fridays are overcast,” my friend remarked. ” It helps us remember how dark the land became as Jesus hung on the cross.”

A meditative mood indeed, I thought.

While Jesus hung between earth and heaven that Friday we now call “Good,” darkness shrouded the whole land from about noon until 3 o’clock. Jesus dying body opened the way between heaven and earth for the Father and us to be united.

A few sprinkles fell from the sky on our Good Friday and then the sun broke through around 6 p.m. shattering the darkness. It reminded me of when Jesus rose from the dead His brilliant light shattered the darkness that holds us captive until our hearts belong to Him.

Resurrection Sunday is here! And we can rejoice because we have been set free. We have been approved by the Father’s love and stamped with the blood of Christ.

Our hearts can truly shout, “REJOICE.” He is risen. He is risen indeed!

“But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:5 NIV

And that is something to shout about more than we would over our favorite team winning. Actually, our favorite team–the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–did win from Good Friday to Easter! And by His mercy, we have been saved.

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:6-8

Unwrap the gift with joy as you rejoice this Resurrection morning.

From My Heart To Yours,

Linking with Spiritual Sundays and Sunday Stillness